SACRAMENTO—This week, a report released by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) confirmed the economic activity and safety benefits of the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017— Senate Bill 1 (SB 1). The benefits generated by SB 1 extend to the economies of cities throughout California.

The study found that SB 1 will support nearly $183 billion in economic activity and support or create over 680,000 jobs over the next 10 years in California communities throughout the state. Funding from SB 1 is helping local cities make road safety improvements, ease traffic congestion, fill potholes, repair local streets, freeways, tunnels, bridges and overpasses and invest in public transportation in every California community.

Certain politicians are working to qualify a statewide ballot measure for the November 2018 California ballot to repeal SB 1.

The following statement can be attributed to Carolyn Coleman, executive director, League of California Cities:

“California cities are already seeing the benefits of SB 1 as transportation projects easing traffic congestion, modernizing our transit systems and smoothing our roads are already in progress. SB 1 gives cities the opportunity to fill potholes, pave over cracked and crumbling roads and make safety improvements to repair aging and deteriorating infrastructure. The ARTBA study confirms halting these projects would be a mistake and have a detrimental impact to the safety and economic activity in California cities.”

Established in 1898, the League of California Cities is a nonprofit statewide association that advocates for cities with the state and federal governments and provides education and training services to elected and appointed city officials.